Polish PGNiG wants to supply gas through planned Baltic Pipeline

Polish PGNiG submitted a binding offer on 31 October to reserve capacity on the planned Baltic Pipe pipeline, which should be opened in 2022. The planned gas pipeline should reduce Poland's dependence on Russian gas.

Poland has already discussed the construction of the Baltic gas pipeline with Norway earlier this year, the expected deadline for its completion was set to five to six years. The future of the pipeline is currently uncertain, as only project activities are underway so far. The decision on the pipeline's construction will be made in 2018 if a positive investment decision is made. Poland has been looking for alternatives to Russian gas for a long time and the possibility of constructing a Baltic gas pipeline has been discussed for several years. It is crucial for Poland to diversify gas supplies and reduce Russian dominance in the Central European gas market, which is why Poland is a critic of the planned Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.